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NAVFAC Southeast Photovoltaic Project to Save NASP $4,000 Annually

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100318-03
Release Date: 3/18/2010 12:31:00 PM

By Mike O'Connor, Naval Air Station Pensacola Public Affairs

PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- A project which will put solar panels on the roofs of two buildings at Naval Air Station Pensacola is estimated to save the base 365 megawatt-hours of electricity, worth about $4,000, in annual savings.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Building Integrated Photovoltaic Project – or ARRA BIPV project – will begin in June, according to Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast Resource Efficiency Manager Jason Poe. The project is scheduled for completion in June, 2011.

"ARRA funds are being used for three projects totaling $69.34 million at military installations in Florida, Mississippi and Texas," said Poe. "The purpose is to help Navy installations reach their energy goals and reduce dependency on foreign oil."

Aboard NAS Pensacola, the two buildings – Bldgs. 3910, Unaccompanied Enlisted Personnel Housing; and 3828 Aviation Survival Training Building – will be getting roof repairs and strengthening prior to the installation of the solar panels. The total cost of the project – $2.63 million –includes the repair work as well as the photovoltaic installation.

The power created with the roof-mounted solar panels will augment the buildings' energy use. The same sunny days that heat buildings up are also good days for generating electricity with photovoltaic systems, according to Poe.

Less use of electricity generated from fossil fuels means less greenhouse gas and acid rain emissions. Each kilowatt-hour saved will eliminate 1.5 lbs. of sulfur dioxide and .25 pounds of carbon monoxide emissions.

Texas was awarded $20.8 million to for their photovoltaic project which includes ten facilities, six at NAS Corpus Christi and four at NAS Kingsville for a combined savings of 2,829 mega-watt hours of electricity.

Mississippi was awarded $13.8 million for their photovoltaic project which will include four facilities at NAS Meridian and nine facilities at NCBC Gulfport for a combined savings of 1,734 mega-watt hours of electricity.

Florida was awarded a total of $34.7 million for their photovoltaic project which includes fifteen facilities at NAS Key West, one facility at NAS Orlando, two facilities at NAS Whiting Field, three facilities at NS May port, two facilities at NAS Panama City, four facilities at NAS Jacksonville, and the two facilities at NAS Pensacola. The total combined savings for the twenty-nine facilities in Florida will be about 4,837 mega-watt hours of electricity.